Night Season

Unlike the books that come before this one in the series, Night Season takes a different direction entirely. First, it makes Cynna and Cullen the main characters and secondly, it takes them on an adventure into a whole new realm with not much to do with Lupi.

The story begins with a Prologue introducing a new couple of characters, Nathan and Kai, and their mysterious mission to save a realm through Kai because of her emerging gifts. Then it does a flip to Cynna Weaver. In the last book, Cullen gets Cynna pregnant when they share a night together, but she doesn’t want to believe him when he tells her this and she really doesn’t want to deal with the fact that now he insists on remaining a part of her life. Cullen is determined that where Cynna goes, there will he go. Even Cullen couldn’t have predicted the new adventure this would set him on. A delegation from another realm known as Edge come to establish trade agreements with the government, but also to speak on a secret matter of importance to them.

Next thing they know, Cullen, Cynna,and a few more people in this secret meeting end up going through a gate with the delegation into Edge. Finally, they tell the party what the big secret is. The gnomes had control of a magical medallion that controlled the natural order of things in Edge, but now it has been stolen and chaos is beginning to happen. Cynna’s gift of finding is needed to track down the medallion. The danger is high when factions close in around them all wanting the medallion for themselves so they either seek to destroy Cynna so she can’t find it first or grab her for their own use. Cullen and Cynna and the gang are almost lost in the ways of Edge, but manage to scrape through each new challenge. Through it all, Cullen and Cynna both get a good hard look at their feelings and their deepest needs. Cynna is also hit with the knowledge that her father is alive and has been trapped in Edge all this time. But treachery is afoot and things get pretty tight for everyone involved.

The plot like others before it alternates between thriller action, action of a romantic kind, and loads of information into the world-building sort. It causes the pace to change drastically at times. After the initial action, there is a lot of set up and explanation stuff. I don’t mind this sort of thing, but I just put it out there for others who care more for a swifter moving story line. Its always a treat to read Eileen Wilks stories because even though you get handed all these odd bits that seem to make little sense as you follow the story, it finally comes together in the end in a satisfying, breathtaking way.

We get a little Rule and Lily, but I loved the change up in character focus in this one. Cynna and Cullen make great heroine and hero. Their relationship building in this one was probably the best part of the book for me. It was nice to get Ruben, Timms and Gan with more face time. The introduction of Nathan and Kai brought me a couple more characters that I hope to see more of. I loved the mystery around them that finally made sense near the end. Some of the more ambiguous characters were great too.

Satisfying read that other paranormal romance and urban fantasy fans will enjoy. Please read them in order though as each builds on the last.